Sports Reporter

In form: Hooker Robbie Farah is rated above Maroons counterpart Cameron Smith under the CVR system for the first time since 2005 - the last time the Blues won an Origin series. Photo: Brendan Esposito

NSW coach Laurie Daley is set to enter the State of Origin series with his players in better form than their Queensland counterparts.

Daley will name his side for Origin I on Sunday and according to detailed statistics from the opening nine rounds, Blues players dominate virtually every position on form in the NRL this season.

It is a stunning turnaround from the situation 12 months ago, when captain Paul Gallen was the only NSW player ranked No.1 in his position, based on Sports Data's contributor value ratings (CVR) system of comparing the performance of players.

So far this season, the Blues have players in better form in every position except halfback and fullback - and the No.1 custodian, Greg Inglis, will play in the centres for Queensland.

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Inglis is rated the best player in the NRL based on his form for South Sydney this season, but Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith is the only other member of the Maroons team in the top 15 - and Corey Parker, Justin Hodges and Billy Slater are the only other Queenslanders in the top 20.

NSW hooker Robbie Farah is ranked ahead of Smith for the first time since the Blues last won an Origin series in 2005, with the Wests Tigers captain rated the No.2 player in the game behind Inglis. Smith is ninth overall.

The Maroons have the top two halfbacks in the NRL, in Melbourne's Cooper Cronk and Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans, but Pearce is ranked third and in good form for the Roosters. Souths halfback Adam Reynolds is fifth.

Jennings and Ferguson are the top two centres, with Queensland's Justin Hodges rated third.

Canterbury's Josh Morris, who is expected to be chosen along with Jennings, is the sixth best centre in the NRL this season.

However, the statistics should help Ferguson's bid for a NSW wing spot, while Manly's Jorge Taufua also has strong claims as he is the top specialist winger in the NRL on form as Canberra's Reece Robinson has played most of this season at fullback.

Cronulla fullback Michael Gordon is ranked No.2 behind Inglis and ahead of Maroons and Melbourne superstar Billy Slater, but Parramatta's Jarryd Hayne is only one position further back.

Up front, the Blues have not only the top two front-rowers in Fifita and Woods but St George Illawarra's Trent Merrin is fourth and Canterbury's Aiden Tolman and North Queensland's James Tamou are also in the top 10 props.

The best Maroons front-rower, Ben Hannant (fifth), is out of Origin I due to injury, while Matt Scott (eighth) is the only other Queensland prop in the top 10.

NSW's strength in the back row is confirmed by the CVR system, with Watmough No.1 ahead of Gallen (fourth), Greg Bird (fifth) and Luke Lewis (sixth). Parker (third) and Ashley Harrison (ninth) are the only Queensland back-rowers in the top 10.

17 comments so far

And all those stats will mean diddly squat come origin time when the remnants of best team in the history of the game humiliate the NSW selectors for picking Pearce and Gidley once again. Don't make that mistake please. We have the forward pack to annihilate QLD, we just need the backline to finish off that good work. Pearce has the kicking game of Israel Folau when he was in the AFL and looks out of his depth on the origin stage. Gidley (jack of all trades, master of none) is like picking a useless allrounder in cricket and making him open the bowling or the batting when someone is injured. When QLD had Cronk on the bench he was an impact player not some putty to bodge up a hole. Bird can play in the halves if there is an injury (he won 2 MOM playing 5/8) and Lewis can fill the centres and also in the halves. NSW have the speed out wide and a wealth of talent in playing in the 5/8 role which is interchangeable with the half back role. Carney, Moloney, J. Reynolds and Sutton take any of these players and they wont let you down like the incumbent No.7 has for every single one of his 9 appearances.

Commenter

Craig

Location

Canberra

Date and time

May 20, 2013, 2:37PM

I agree about the stats thing. They mean nothing when those QLDers pull on a maroon jersey. QLDers suddenly get better in that shirt.

Commenter

Mr Brownstone

Location

Paradise City

Date and time

May 21, 2013, 10:51AM

Hey Craig - your team selection would lose badly. If we've learnt anything from Queensland it is not to change the team and I'm happy to run again with the team which just lost last years series and probaby should have won apart from some glaring Ref errors (cost Harrigan his job). The only 2 players I'd add toe the squand would be Ferguson from Canberra and Cordner form the Roosters who looks like the new Brad Clyde in the making. NSW to win 3 zip!

Commenter

Pedro

Location

Randwick

Date and time

May 21, 2013, 12:49PM

Pedro we have been trying to follow Queensland's lead by picking a team and staying loyal. The problem is Queensland is sticking with a winning formula where we are sticking with a losing formula. When we have a halfback who has failed to star or even get close to being the best player in a losing side in the four series he has played in then there is our problem. He is a failure and it will be a miracle if we can win with him being a passenger for another year. Blaming the ref's is just another excuse for poor selection policy.

Commenter

Craig

Location

Canberra

Date and time

May 21, 2013, 1:49PM

It would be worth having one of the Reynolds on the bench for the utility role.

Commenter

ParraPhil

Location

Sydney

Date and time

May 20, 2013, 2:57PM

They would be of even greater worth in a blue No7 jersey.

Commenter

Max

Location

Coogee

Date and time

May 20, 2013, 3:22PM

And every single one of the Queenslanders will love reading this. Mal would've already cut the article out and has just threwn the sticky tape in his pocket and is on his way to Lang Park to stick it on the wall. Looks like by game time QLD will be underdogs again. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

Commenter

Dave

Location

Qld

Date and time

May 20, 2013, 4:16PM

I expect that, just as it has for the last 5-6 (maybe longer) years, NSW will choose a team based on reputation, not form, and will once again finish up 2nd on the scoreboard. The NSW selectors don't seem to have any capacity to learn.

Commenter

Perspective

Location

Sydney

Date and time

May 20, 2013, 9:26PM

It must be a funny old system that puts Wests players anywhere bar carrying the oranges - and I wouldn't trust them not to drop the bucket.

Commenter

crazy eddie

Date and time

May 20, 2013, 9:58PM

I agree.I am Wests Tigers & NSW fan but it seems that the 'stats' that Sports Data produce fail to take into account whether your teams wins or loses! I understand that these are looking at individual players but surely 'effectiveness' must include getting your team a win(eventually!!!)